Dear Heloise: Every summer we see a number of people who are suffering from food poisoning because they did not store their food properly. Items such as hard boiled eggs, potato salad, fish or shellfish, or anything containing eggs or oil can become rancid in the summer heat. These are items that should be stored in an ice chest with lots of ice surrounding the container. Food poisoning can ruin a vacation or a sunny day at the beach. This is just a reminder to stay safe and stay healthy! -- Janet H., Daytona Beach, Florida
Fast Shrimp Spread
Dear Heloise: My husband and I were having some wine at a friend's home when they brought out a shrimp spread that was delicious. When I asked the hostess where she got the recipe, she said, "From Heloise." Apparently, she sent away for one of your pamphlets and said she had made every one of the recipes in it. However, the shrimp spread was her all-time favorite. So now I'd like to get a copy of this pamphlet from you. What do I need to do to get a copy of the shrimp spread? -- Hillary U., Milpitas, California
Hillary, it's really very easy. Go to www.Heloise.com to order one. Or you can send $5, along with a stamped, self-addressed, long envelope to: Heloise/All-Time Fav, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. You'll find some tasty, easy-to-make recipes inside, including my Fast Shrimp Spread. -- Heloise
Vitamins
Dear Heloise: Every morning I give each of my three children (ages 9, 12 and 13) a chewable vitamin. My husband thinks vitamins are unnecessary for children, but I don't think they can eat enough to get all the vitamins they need while they are still children. Although my three youngsters are very active in sports and have healthy appetites, I still believe chewable vitamins are good for them. Which of us is correct? -- Tina W., Pineville, Kentucky
Tina, first check with your doctor to see if they think your children need to take vitamins. If they think it's a good idea, use vitamins designed for your child's age group. And never call chewable vitamins "candy" or exceed the recommended dosage. Most experts, and that includes the American Academy of Pediatrics, prefer not to offer an official opinion on vitamins for kids because each child and each situation is different. To further investigate vitamins for your children, you might want to go to www.hopkinsallchildrens.org or www.mayoclinic.org. -- Heloise
SEND A GREAT HINT TO:
Heloise
P.O. Box 795001
San Antonio, TX 78279-5001
Fax: 1-210-HELOISE
Email: HeloiseHeloise.com
Lemonade Ice
Dear Heloise: My family loves homemade lemonade or iced tea on a very hot day. The only problem was that the ice watered down our drinks. To solve this problem, I now freeze an ice cube tray of lemonade and another one of iced tea. Sometimes I pick mint leaves while the leaf is still small and place one mint leaf in each cube of ice to help give our tea a slight minty flavor to the tea. -- A Reader, via email
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